huntrule

Windows PowerShell Script Block Logging: PSAttack marker string

Alerts when PowerShell script blocks contain the "PS ATTACK!!!" marker on Windows.

FreeReviewedSigma · High · v2
Product
windows
Category
ps_script
Author
Sean Metcalf (source), Florian Roth (Nextron Systems) (SigmaHQ), DRL 1.1
Published
2017-03-05
Updated
2026-07-31
AnalysisDetection

ATT&CK techniques

Execution

  1. Recon

  2. Resource Dev

  3. Initial Access

  4. Execution

  5. Persistence

  6. Priv Esc

  7. Defense Evasion

  8. Cred Access

  9. Discovery

  10. Lateral Movement

  11. Collection

  12. C2

  13. Exfiltration

  14. Impact

What it detects

This rule flags PowerShell script blocks that contain the specific marker string "PS ATTACK!!!" associated with the PSAttack hack tool. Attackers may use this tool to execute malicious actions and obfuscate or automate behavior through PowerShell. The detection relies on PowerShell Script Block Logging telemetry capturing the script block text.

Reporting behind it

Related detections9 linkedT1059.001 — drag to rearrange
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Malicious Script Host Spawning PowerShell in Gootloader Chain
Suspicious PsExec Service Launching Encoded PowerShell Payload
Suspicious PowerShell Remote Script Execution via IEX DownloadString
Malicious SharePoint ToolShell Post-Exploitation via Encoded PowerShell (via process_creation)
Suspicious In-Memory PowerShell Execution from Web Server via Automation Assembly (via image_load)
Malicious Qilin Chrome Credential Harvesting Script Execution via IPScanner (via process_creation)
Windows PowerShell Script Block Logging: PSAttack marker string
Pivot detection · T1059.001 · 9 related

Changelog

v2
  1. v2
    Candidate ingested via manual entry.2026-07-31
  2. v1
    No changelog recorded for this version.2026-07-30

Detection content is published as a reviewed draft. Tune thresholds and exclusions against your own telemetry before enabling this rule for alerting.